AIE officially activates Wednesday

By Sgt. 1st Class Kelly Jo Bridgwater

Fort Gordon Public Affairs Office

The AIE security system will activate across Fort Gordon Wednesday. Note how the portion of the ID card that is swiped is the line barcode and not the solid black strip. Photo illustration by Wilson A. Rivera / Fort Gordon Public Affairs OfficeThe Automated Installation Entrance security system will officially activate Wednesday at all Fort Gordon gates, requiring identification card holders to swipe their ID card at the gate’s card pedestals in order to gain entrance to the installation.

There will be a 30-day grace period for registration, but starting Feb. 15 nonregistered personnel will have to go to Gate 1 and use the visitor’s lane where they will present an ID card to a guard who will further instruct them on how to register for AIE.

The 30-day grace period is geared toward people who are already members of the Fort Gordon community – active duty personnel, family members and military retirees. For personnel who are visiting the installation to attend a military school or who are on temporary duty or on a permanent change of station the best approach is to initially use the Gate 1 visitor control center.

“We’ve had some situations where personnel have registered their card and go to the gate and the card hasn’t worked,” said Thomas Scott, Directorate of Emergency Services security specialist. “What they need to do is go back to the visitor control center to have their information checked. There may have been a glitch in DEERS – the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System – or another area of administrative information that did not allow them to successfully swipe their card at the access control point.”

Scott stated that another critical area of concern is for people to re-register a new or replacement ID card with AIE as registration information from their former card does not automatically transfer.

“The key thing is the new expiration date on a newly issued ID card will not roll over from the old card,” said Scott.

Delays at the gate may be avoided by following a few simple tips.

“The most important thing I want to convey to the public is there are two things they need to do: one is to pull up close enough to the curb so the card pedestal is easy to access, and two to properly swipe their card using the line barcode. If they don’t they will slow down the line. This will result in delays at the gate,” said Scott.

Once the vehicle in front of you has departed the AIE pedestal, the next vehicle may immediately swipe their card as the car in front of them enters the installation. You do not have to wait for the gate arm to completely lower before swiping your ID card.

“We’ve got most people registered but now we need to turn our focus on how to get people through the gate in a timely manner,” said Scott.

There is still time to register for AIE.

If you have questions about AIE registration contact Thomas Scott at 791-2521.